Ohio Gov. John Kasish attempts a throw at the frisbee golf demonstration while he tours the Ohio State Fair on July 23, 2014, in Columbus. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Associated Press

Three of the Rust Belt Republican governors’ class of 2010 are locked in tight re-election races this summer, but not Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Mr. Kasich carries a 48% to 36% lead over Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. Mr. FitzGerald, the Cuyahoga County executive, remains unknown among 65% of Ohioans, the poll found.

Mr. Kasich’s lead has held steady. Quinnipiac showed him ahead 50% to 35% in May. His approval rating remains at 55%, well above the threshold considered safe for re-election.

Mr. Kasich wasn’t supposed to roll to an easy victory in a state President Barack Obama won twice. But former Gov. Ted Strickland passed on the race, then Mr. FitzGerald’s campaign stumbled badly at the start, having to dump his running mate after it was revealed he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.

It doesn’t hurt that Ohio’s economy is strong, with an unemployment rate of 5.5%, well below the national average. Even Mr. Kasich’s biggest stumble – signing legislation limiting collective bargaining in the state, just as Mr. Walker and Mr. Snyder did – isn’t hurting him among voters, Quinnipiac found.

Some 45% of voters said the labor fight doesn’t make any difference in how they’ll vote in November. Only 31% said it would make them less likely to back Mr. Kasich.

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